


Darkness

by SupercorpSanvers_fangirl33



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman (Movies 1989-1997), Batman - All Media Types, Batman: Arkham (Video Games), Birds of Prey (TV)
Genre: Baby Helena, Break Up, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Rain, Sad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-13
Updated: 2017-05-10
Packaged: 2018-10-03 20:50:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,902
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10257899
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SupercorpSanvers_fangirl33/pseuds/SupercorpSanvers_fangirl33
Summary: Darkness can hide all kinds of secrets but can darkness hide everything? First official BatCat story!! (Yay!!) please read and leave comments!!





	1. The Fall of BatCat

Selina stepped out of the bus station and took a deep breath then exhaled suppressing the urge to cough as the thick Gotham air and smog filled her chest for the first time in months. 

“Home.”

The word was a far cry from happy or content in fact it was almost sad as she moved her sunglasses from her nose and placed them atop her head among her messy black pixie cut before an irritated whimper made her look down at the infant in her arm wrapped in a deep purple blanket and didn't seem too pleased with the environment change.

“Welcome home kitten, you'll get used to the air it's in your blood unfortunately.”

The infant in her arms responded by blinking open its blue-green eyes and looking around before landing on Selina and giving a garbled coo.

“I know sweetie, mommy’s not happy about being back either but unfortunately we have to be here. You'll feel better when we get to our next stop.”

The baby just cooed again making Selina give a small smile and lightly kiss its forehead before she readjusted her duffle bag on the other shoulder before hailing a cab and giving the driver directions on where to go as she looked out the window at the skyscraper that seemed to tower over all of the city. After a long 20 minutes the cab stopped outside a quiet looking house on the city outskirts making Selina subconsciously chuckle as she paid the driver and got out not surprised when the cab pulled away without waiting to make sure she was dropped at the right place, but she was positive without a doubt she was at the right place as she took in the flower beds lining the sidewalk filled with wildflowers and the vines and climbing flowers that grew along every wall of the house, to anyone else it might have looked charming and story book but she knew better as she walked along the path to the front door sharp green eyes carefully watching each plant she passed, not plants alarms each and everyone.

Once on the doorstep Selina shifted the infant in her arm propped up against her shoulder chuckling slightly as tiny fingers griped her necklace chain and a small gummy mouth began chewing on it. Feeling a little more relaxed the dark haired woman knocked on the door then waited gently rubbing the baby's back. After a couple minutes the door opened and a smile found Selina's lips as she was met with none other than Poison Ivy, though contrary to her vileness status the redhead couldn't look any more normal dressed down in a green knit sweater and a pair of black leggings with her coppery red hair tied up in a bun showing off the green vine like markings on her face.

“Hey Pammy, hope I'm not dropping by at a bad time.”

The redhead looked Selina over before her emerald eyes landed on the babbling infant against her shoulder and a smile spread over her lips.

“Not at all Cat, come on in Harley is in the living room.”

Selina smiled and entered the house, set her duffle on the floor out of the way and navigated her way inside to the living room taking mental note that Ivy was making sure to keep her distance despite that she could feel the babe on her shoulder reaching out and making both happy and frustrated sounds. As she entered the room Harley didn't look away from the tv screen.

“Who was at the door Pam-a-lamb?”

Ivy opened her mouth to answer but Selina smirked shaking her head and tiptoed her way over to the sofa to stand behind the blonde carefully taking the baby off her shoulder to hold her in front of Harley.

“Someone who wanted to meet her aunt Harley and aunt Ivy.”

Harley gave a bright smile tilting her head back to look up at the dark haired woman before looking back at the baby girl in front of her carefully taking her in her own arms as Selina moved hers away.

“So this is little Helena? She's adorable Kitty!”

Selina smiled watching as Helena looked at the blonde holding her then gave a small smile and a tiny giggle earning a happy coo from Harley, seeing that Helena and Harley were content Selina turned her eyes to Ivy who had joined her behind the couch a small smile on her lips as she watched the blonde babble back at the infant who would giggle and babble back.

“What's the problem Pam? She isn't going to bite you and the fact that I just handed her over to Harley should show I don't mind if you hold her.”

Ivy turned her eyes to meet Selina's but quickly looked away shaking her head with a small smile.

“I'm fine just watching from here. She really is cute though.”

Selina watched the redhead a minute more before something in her mind clicked making her smile and tap Harley on the shoulder.

“Let me see her a sec.”

Harley poured but reluctantly handed Helena back then watched as Selina turned to face Pam, who seemed more scared than Harley had ever seen her even when they'd been cornered by the bat family and going to Arkham was inevitable.

“Relax Ivy she's just a baby. Here put one arm under her and rest her head in the bend of your arm so you can support her head.”

Ivy nodded and after a second of hesitation did as she was instructed making Selina smile as she passed off Helena.

“There see not so hard, hold her close she likes the secure feeling.”

Ivy looked down at Helena and a smile quirked the corner of her lips as she held her a little closer, Helena looked at the redhead holding her then giggled and began babbling happily kicking her feet making Ivy waver a little.

“It's okay she's just happy, you're doing fine.”

Ivy nodded letting herself relax and smile as Helena's eyes caught on one of her green marks and she rested her tiny hand over it babbling again. Seeing the redhead was more at ease Selina leaned on the back of the couch resting her chin on the back beside Harley's.

“How'd you do that?”

Selina raised a brow smirking.

“Do what?”

Harley gestured to Ivy who had moved to sit in the arm chair now talking softly to Helena like she often did her flowers.

“That, I mean she was petrified when she went to answer the door and when you handed Helena off to her but now look at her. How'd you know?”

Selina's smirk turned into a smile looking at the redhead.

“It's Ivy queen of plants and poisons she was scared she was going to hurt her or that Helena would cry, she just needed help knowing what to do and it doesn't hurt that my kitten is one of the easiest going baby's ever.”

Harley nodded watching as Ivy held Helena as the babe fell asleep her tiny hand wrapped around her finger. Selina straightened up looking at the pair her entire demeanor changing.

“You two wouldn't mind keeping an eye on her a bit would you?”

Harley and Ivy met eyes before the redhead met Selina's eyes.

“How long is a bit? What exactly are you up too?”

Selina couldn't deny the Vixen of Vines had a reason for thinking she was running out on Helena seeing as she had a history of running from huge responsibilities and trouble she'd caused alike.

“An hour or two there's a little business in the city Catwoman needs to finish before she retires. I'm not playing ditch the baby I promise, I couldn't leave her if I tried Pam, but I need to talk to him and he can't know.”

Harley seemed like she wanted to disagree but Ivy nodded her face unreadable and her eyes understanding.

“Alright, do what you need we’ll keep an eye on her.”

Selina smiled.

“Thank you, I'll be back before she even wakes up if she gets hungry there's a bottle in my bag and if she doesn't want that her pacifier is here.”

At the mention of the object she took it from her pocket and handed it to Harley before walking over to Ivy and carefully taking Helena in her arms kissing her forehead.

“Mommy will be back, be a good kitten for your aunts.”

As if hearing her mother Helena made a small sound in her sleep earning a smile before she handed the infant over to Harley, since Ivy had gone to the kitchen, before going to her bag and taking out the bottle and tossing it to the blonde smiling as she caught it without missing a beat or shifting Helena much. Awhile later as the sun disappeared from the sky and draped the city in darkness Selina...Catwoman stood atop the courthouse roof her green eyes looking out over the city never straying even as the gust of night air and familiar soft thud sounded behind her.

“Selina-”

“I promise you, however dark and scary the world might be right now, there will be light.”

Catwoman's words stopped Batman from speaking, he recognized the words that commissioner Gordon had told him the night his parents were murdered before him.

“But there's never any light in Gotham, this city is covered by constant darkness that's why evil thrives here, nobody's hands are really clean barely even the innocents.”

As she finished speaking Catwoman turned around to face her long time lover and enemy before with a deep sigh pulled off her cowl and goggles her eyes between sad and scared as she dropped the objects to the ground and looked at Batman. Bruce was silent for a long moment taking her in for the first time in months before removing his own cowl.

“Selina you came back, where were you?”

Selina didn't answer right away looking like she was at a crossroads with how exactly to answer.

“To see family out of the city.”

Bruce didn't look completely convinced as he took a step closer to her watching as almost out of old habit and reflex she started to take a step back but closing her eyes she forced herself to stop and let Bruce wrap his arms around her. A feeling of security and home washed over her making her body relax and his arms tighten as he kissed her hair.

“Why did you really disappear Selina? Don't lie to me please, I was worried.”

Selina felt her stomach drop and her heart tear in two as tears gathered but didn't fall from her eyes or leak into her voice.

“I had to Bruce, I had to get away for reasons I can't tell you.”

Bruce pulled back away enough to look down at her concern written all over his face.

“What do you mean you had to? Did you get yourself into trouble with someone? Tell me and maybe I can help.”

Selina shook her head pulling out of his arms but stood on tiptoe placing a kiss to his lips for a second before pulling away as he began to respond, it was now or never.

“No Bruce, I had to get away from you, can't you see this thing we have can't keep going? You're this city’s caped hero and I'm a lone jumping jewel thief, it would never work because I can't give up who I am and you can't give up who you are. It's over between us, I'm sorry.”

Before he could absorb her words or even fathom a reply Selina backed away and grabbed her cowl before running over the edge of the building landing skillfully in the alley below, she looked back up at Bruce who was leaning over the edge watching her unbelieving before she put her cowl on and quickly fled into the shadows leaving Brice standing there, his mother's wedding ring feeling like a ten ton weight in his clenched palm as the sky let down a cold pouring rain.


	2. The Letter

A few days after her meeting with Bruce Selina caught wind through the criminal underground that Batman had left the city in the hands of Batgirl and former Robin now Nightwing until he returned. She couldn't say she was surprised, it was how Bruce dealt with situations like this he left them behind in the city for a few days then he'd come back and reestablish his reign of justice. It was just the chance she'd been waiting for…

 

The bat signal lit the sky as it often did when there was criminal activity but this time it was a criminal, now former criminal, that had turned it on. Selina stood in the shadow of the oversized flood light her eyes on the shadow it shone against the clouds remembering times she'd been the cause for its light cutting into the night, some times alone and sometimes with Pam and Harley. Glancing around the leather clad woman seen the two teenaged bat-family members weren't descending upon the GCPD roof just yet and she took the opportunity to unhook the baby monitor from her belt and hold it to her ear. The soft sound of breathing and the occasional tiny snore came through the small speaker making her relax, she'd left Helena back at the apartment for this little arend not feeling like dragging the poor teething infant out into the night just to drop her off at Pam and Harley’s, though she didn't doubt the redhead could probably come up with some concoction to ease Helena’s pain.

The sound of air rushing behind her and two pairs of feet landing on the roof almost silently, no matter how many years they practiced these kids would never master the silent landing like Batman had, made her put the device back on her belt and remove something from a hidden pocket in her bodysuit as she turned to face Batgirl and Nightwing.

“Selina? Why are you using the signal?”

Batgirl’s tone was more confusion than anger, out of all the batkids Barbara had taken more of a liking to Selina when she was with Bruce and it was something the dark haired woman never really understood.

“Some kind of twisted game? There was a robbery downtown earlier, come to brag about your crime and send us on a mouse hunt?”

Selina turned her eyes to Nightwing and narrowed them a little, Dick was definitely not her biggest fan in the Robin line and she couldn't completely blame him she'd used him a fair share of times and tricked him twice as many but none of that was important. 

“Doesn't papa bat tell you kids anything? I've been gone for over half a year, I just got back into town a few days ago and I talked to him.”

Nightwing was about to make another comment but Batgirl beat him with a statement.

“He said you're hanging up the catsuit for good this time.”

Selina nodded catching Nightwing’s flinch of shock out of the corner of her eye before taking a step closer to Batgirl holding out her hand in which she held a sealed envelope.

“This is for your eyes only Barbara, don't show Bruce and don't show any of your little bat siblings understand?”

Barbara blinked behind her cowl then after a moment's hesitation she lifted her hand and removed her cowl meeting Selina's green eyes as she took the envelope.

“You have my word Selina.”

The dark haired woman nodded once before looking at Nightwing who had his fists clenched and jaw set.

“As for your little robbery try looking a little closer, I don't wear that shade of purple or have chalk pale skin.”

She didn't keep her eyes on the young man to see his reaction before she looked back at Barbara who was pulling her cowl back on.

“Remember what I said, your eyes only if I find out you told Bruce or anyone I won't be forgiving.”

The redhead swallowed a little thickly but nodded holding the envelope firm in her hand.

“I promise I won't whisper a word.”

Selina gave a stiff nod looking over the pair once more before vaulting her way off the rooftop back towards home as the baby monitor began to emit small whimpers.

XxXx

When Barbara arrived home from their fruitless search for Joker she dropped her gym bag with her batsuit by the door walking into the living room her eyes focused on the envelope in her hands. It wasn't exactly a secret around the cave that Barbara was closer to Selina than the others, well Bruce was the exception, but it had boiled Dick’s blood when she'd just let Selina slip away, but she wasn't blind like he was she'd seen the little plastic device on the older woman’s belt and knew if it wasn't a walkie talkie it was a baby monitor. All three of the remaining Batfamily had their thoughts about why Selina had just vanished from the city without a trace, Bruce had thought she'd gotten into some kind of trouble, Dick had insisted she'd retreated to plan some master robbery of a diamond exchange, but as Barbara opened the envelope and took out the letter inside her suspicion was becoming more likely as she looked over the other woman’s smooth cursive letters.

‘Barbara, I'm sure I don't need to tell you that out of all the past sidekicks Bruce has had you were the one I became fond of and vise versa and that is why I am untrusting you with this secret and a greater responsibility. My disappearance from the city was to hide the fact that I was pregnant from Bruce, he has a daughter named Helena Grace now but I don't want him to know because you and I both know that if he found out he had a daughter he'd want to toss away his mantle as the city’s hero and there is trouble brewing that he needs to focus on. A storm is coming and when it strikes it is going to cause all kinds of hell and he can't be distracted worrying about me and Helena when it happens. That being said, when this chaos strikes if anything happens to me, if I am killed, I'm leaving Helena in your care because I trust that you will be able to keep her away from the life I don't want for her, fighting evil and nursing broken bones is no life for a child and I know you understand that better than anyone. I could leave her to Harley and Ivy but I feel the trouble to come will rip seams between them as well, Pammy hates confrontation she doesn't start and she will flee at the first rumbles of the shifting power but Harley won't, she'll stand beside the cause of the power shift because she's a slave to her own heart and the scars upon it. Joker will be the end of this city if Bruce loses this power struggle, it might be tomorrow or it could be years from now but that final fight is coming and no one is safe. Look out for Helena weather I'm around or not...and look out for him, he's hurting and I can't nurse the wound I caused this time. -Selina’

The redhead’s hands were gripped tightly on the paper by the time she finished reading it was a wonder it only crumpled and not tore. Her assumption had been right, Selina had left because she didn't want Bruce to know she was expecting, but now she was given the responsibility of helping look out for Gotham’s newest citizen and the daughter Batman didn't even know existed. Setting the letter aside she grabbed the tv remote and turned on the tv to the news but it was a soundless mumble in the back of her mind as she looked at the letter again, even Selina could feel there was something brewing in the pits of the city and that when it finally came to light things were going to get bad, she'd wondered why many of their major villains had lowered their activity, they hadn't dealt with Two-face, Riddler, Harley or Ivy as of late at all but if Dick knew something was coming he kept it under wraps while Bruce took action ensuring their sweeps were more through and Joker was carefully monitored and dealt with when he showed his head. She just hoped this huge power shift was years off and not tomorrow and any time soon because Bruce was still out of the city avoiding the pain Selina had caused to protect him.


	3. The Good Times

Four years, it was almost impossible to believe, four years had gone by before Selina knew it. Helena was four years old now and tried her hardest to do everything Selina did to the full extent of her capabilities and it never failed to make her mother smile. It was around 7:00 in the morning the sun slowly rising in the murky Gotham sky as Selina sat at the table with Helena watching the girl manage to eat her cereal and watch the cartoons on the tv at the same time. Helena clearly took after her mother look wise but it was impossible to not see Bruce in her as well, in the way she'd set her jaw when she'd get angry, the way her eyes were always carefully watching, how she held herself, and in the pig headedness that showed itself more often then Selina would like.

Suddenly the childish music of the cartoon was cut off making Helena jump a little and look up from chasing the last of her cereal around the bowl and look at the screen, Selina followed suit her green eyes moving to the screen as a news man came on and began talking about Joker’s latest attack and how it was thwarted by Batman yet the jester of chaos was able to slip away from being sent to Arkham.

Selina looked away from the tv to pick up her plate and Helena’s bowl mumbling under her breath.

“He's losing his touch.”

As she walked to the kitchen Helena moved to sit in front of the tv her spoon still in hand. Looking over her shoulder Selina sighed softly seeing her daughter was sitting so close to the tv with her hands on the stand her nose was nearly pressed against the screen. She walked into the living room and picked her daughter up moving her back to sit on her lap as she sat on the couch.

“What have I told you about sitting so close Kitten?”

Helena tore her eyes from the screen and took the spoon from her mouth as she looked at the white upholstered sofa.

“To not do it cause it can hurt my eyes.”

Selina gave a small smile kissing the girl's temple, she lingered a moment closing her eyes as a sound caught her ear, you could take the woman out of the catsuit but you couldn't take the cat out of the woman, she listened carefully before signing as Isis, the grey kitten now elderly but still affectionate, padded into the room. Looking at Helena Selina raised her brow looking at the tv as it continued to cover Batman’s attempt to apprehend Joker, shaking her head she decided to change the focal point of the four year old’s attention.

“So kitten have you thought about what you want to be for Halloween?”

That got the girl’s attention in a snap making her smile brightly and use her spoon as a pointer at the tv.

“I wanna be Batgirl mommy!”

Selina felt herself give a small chuckle as she rolled her eyes, it really shouldn't surprise her at this point that was the child’s answer since like almost every other kid in the city Helena idolized Batman and his gaggle of Robins and of course Batgirl. Selina let out another small chuckle, that was one member of the group Selina ever doubted would leave the mantle of Batgirl. Helena heard her mother chuckle and opened her mouth to ask what was funny but before she could there was a knock on the door making her smile and jump down to the floor.

“Barbara is here!”

Selina turned off the tv and followed her daughter to the door, not that she had much choice since the child was nearly pulling her arm from the socket by the hand. Rolling her eyes with a smile the dark haired woman unlocked the door and opened it smiling at the young redhead standing on the other side in a slightly too big black hoodie, jeans and her running shoes, her red hair was pulled back in its normal ponytail and her glasses perched on her nose.

“Couldn't find your contacts?”

The redhead opened her mouth to speak but suddenly found herself nearly tackled to the floor by Helena so she settled for shaking her head as she lifted the girl onto her hip. Selina gave a warning look to Helena but the girl just gave the crooked little smile Selina thought once upon a time only Harley was capable of pulling off making Barbara laugh and the dark haired woman walk away from the door to let the younger woman in.

“Are you ready for our sleepover tonight Helena?” 

Helena nodded excitedly.

“All ready! Mommy gotted me new jammies! They are purple with stars on them!”

Barbara smiled setting the girl on her feet and softly closing the door with her foot.

“The ones you wanted from the department store?”

Helena nodded then looked up at her mother as Selina put a hand on her head.

“Why don't you go get your bag kitten, I need to talk to Barbara for a minute.”

Helena nodded and smiling hurried off to her room, once the child was out of sight she turned her green eyes to meet the redhead’s deep blue ones.

“You sure it's okay you take her tonight? I don't want him getting mad at you for skipping sweeps with that clown back on the streets.”

The redhead shook her head tucking her hands into her hoodie pouch.

“It's fine, Dick is covering for me anyway with Jason so I'm off all night unless things get bad.”

Selina’s brows knitted together as she crossed her arms over her chest.

“Bad as in the clown gets out of hand? What would you do with her if that happens?”

Barbara bit her lip in thought before dropping her eyes to the floor, she liked Selina as a friend but under the weight of the older woman's stare she felt like a child being scolded.

“I'm hoping it won't come to that but if it does I'll figure something out.”

Selina tapped her fingertips on her arm for a moment before sighing letting her hands move to her hips as her eyes moved from the younger woman to the little potted plant on the windowsill, it was some kind of catnip plant given to her by Ivy and currently it was looking like it was trembling.

“Well if anything does happen you know where Ivy and Harley’s ‘secret’ home is, bring her to me if all goes some what smooth I shouldn't have to break up too big a fight.”

Barbara followed her eyes to the plant and this time her brows knitted together as her chest tightened, the way the plant was acting normally meant two things either Ivy was angry or upset or worse the green vixen was close by.

“Are they at it again?”

Selina sighed nodding.

“Yes, Joker wants Harley back at his side and Harley is fighting her hardest not to go but she's slipping and Ivy has been hurt by her leaving so many times now that she's telling Harley if she goes it's for good this time.”

Barbara was surprised to feel her heart sink a little in sadness for the female couple but she shook it off.

“Well if they do start hashing it out I'm a call away.”

Selina nodded.

“Right but I'd rather try and fix this without sending them to arkham, right now that's about the worst thing for them.”

Barbara nodded unable to deny that logic both because it was true and also because Helena came back into room dragging a little purple and black duffle behind her and carrying a teddy bear wearing a purple and yellow Batgirl costume.

“Ready!”

Both women smiled at the girl before Selina swooped down and scooped her up kissing her cheek multiple times leaving a few lipstick kisses behind.

“You be good and mind Barbara, no trying to charm your way into staying up late or getting sweets before bed okay?”

Helena nodded as she laughed before throwing her arms around her mother's neck and kissing her.

“Okay mommy! Tell aunt Ivy and Harley hi fors me!”

Selina nodded taking the opportunity to place another kiss to her daughter's cheek before setting her down and walking her and Barbara to the door lingering in the doorway waving as Helena waved until the elevator doors shut. Heaving a sigh and glancing at the potted plant again the dark haired woman grabbed her keys and slowly made her way down the stairs timing her arrival on the final floor in time to see Barbara’s borrowed car disappear around the corner, securing her purse on her shoulder the dark haired woman got into her own car, stolen somewhat from Bruce before Helena, and made her way to the outskirts of the city.

Hours later Selina trudged back into her penthouse apartment and dropped her shoes and purse on the floor by the door before walking to her bedroom and flipping face first on the bed her right arm stinging in protest of hitting the bed but she ignored it. Sure she was used to handling these tiffs between the blonde jester and goddess of the green but tonight had been a fairly nasty one because just like she feared Ivy was through being hurt and having her heart ripped apart every time Harley left and the mess of emotions the redhead was being overrun with had caused her to lose momentary control over her plants causing them to act on their own to try and shield their mother from what was hurting her but in doing so one vine with nasty thorns decided to go after Harley, catwoman may have been out of the game for nearly four years but Selina's reaction time was still on point allowing her to stand in the way and handle the vine the way she'd handle her whip if someone ever used it against her. It'd cut her arm a fair amount but it drew enough attention from the other two women, Ivy more because she sensed the blood and thought she'd actually hurt Harley, so she could get them to calm down and talk Harley into sticking around some time longer by telling her that the Bats had Joker under tight watch and were ordered to arrest him if they saw him.

Isis jumped onto the bed and laid down beside her injured arm gently licking it making Selina sigh and turn her head to look at the old cat.

“It's starting Isis, I can feel it things are changing.”

The grey cat just looked at her then meowed at her. Selina closed her eyes toeing the line of sleep when her phone going off brought her back making her groan and blindly reach for it and answer it without opening her eyes.

“Hello?”

For a second the only voice she head was a distant one saying something that sounded like ‘not the couch!’ followed by some kind of growl making the dark haired woman raise a brow, her confusion wasn't lifted any when Barbara’s voice came through the phone.

“Um Selina we may have a tiny issue.”

Selina was on her feet before the redhead finished her sentence.

“What happened? Is Helena alright?”

Barbara gave a strained chuckle as the growl sounded again.

“Yeah she's just peachy except the fact she's currently climbing all over everything and growing!”

Selina found her feet rooted to the spot with her hand on the doorknob her heart hammering in her ribs.

“What happened before she started that?”

There was another pause and Selina could hear Barbara trying to talk Helena from coming down from somewhere but she couldn't hear clear enough to know where.

“We were just sitting on the living room floor watching a tv documentary about big cats and we started messing around roughhousing a little and I pin her down tickling her and the next thing I know her eyes do this crazy shifting thing from their color to brown then back but her pupils are slits like a cat's and now she's growling and climbing everything!”

Selina felt her heart sink as she moved enough to rest her forehead on the door and close her eyes mumbling ‘no’ under her breath before she next spoke.

“Listen I know exactly what's wrong with her, it's nothing to be worried about I promise but you need to get her to calm down, I'll be over as soon as I can.”

There was a hesitant pause from the wounded woman before she spoke.

“Alright, um how exactly do I calm her down? I've never seen her this riled up.”

Selina was already back in motion making her way down the stairs seeing as the elderly lady down a floor had hit at least three wrong buttons before she hit the right one.

“Try cartoons, talking to her anything and if you can't calm her down just try to keep her ground level, don't let her near any windows because she's going to have that little urge to jump.”

Barbara's voice was strained as she agreed before hanging up. Selina hurriedly hailed a cab, it was easier to get around when you weren't driving sometimes in the city besides her head was a mess of thoughts as she sat in the back of the cab and told the driver where to go and to hurry. Very few people knew that the reason Selina could do a lot of the things she could, like swinging from building to building on her whip, the sneaky movements that were almost impossible to detect in the shadows, her hearing and more or less night vision, weren't learned talents but rather the result of metahuman abilities. They were subtle and not as strong as powers like Ivy’s plant control or Clayface’s shapeshifting but they had helped catwoman out of many tight places during her criminal career they even helped with her thieving because her ears could hear the tumblers of a safe without help unlike other people and the claws on her gloves were mostly nail protection since hers weren't exactly sharp enough to cut glass but they could easily cut skin. 

She owed every bit of it to the mad scientist that had kidnapped her and injected her with a serum that made her a cat beast, even though Batman had been able to reverse the transformation she was left with her mutations, not that she complained about them but she had hoped that above everything they wouldn't be passed to Helena. Finally the cab reached Barbara’s townhouse and she quickly paid the cabbie before hurrying to the door pressing the buzzer, after a long moment Barbara opened the door looking beyond relieved then consented as she took in Selina’s wounded arm.

“Did you calm her down?”

Barbara shook herself from wanting to ask what happened then nodded.

“A little, she's hiding under the bed and won't come out.”

Selina caught the urge to roll her eyes as she followed the younger woman inside, closing the door behind herself, and to the dark bedroom. The redhead reached for the light switch but stopped when the older woman looked at her and shook her head before moving to one side of the bed and lowering herself onto her front looking under the bed. Sure enough as Barbara had said Helena was laying under the bed on her stomach her eyes wet and her body shaking.

“Come here kitten, you're okay come on.”

Helena heard her mother's voice and began army crawling out of her hiding place at once, after completely out she threw her arms around Selina's neck clinging to her. Selina held her close kissing her forehead.

“You're okay kitten, mommy’s here.”

Helena nodded a little bit kept her tight grip as Selina got to her feet and followed Barbra back to the living room watching as the redhead took a seat on the outdated sofa looking confused.

“What in the world happened?”

Selina sighed nuzzling Helena’s hair feeling the girl starting to fall asleep with her thumb in her mouth. 

“Guess her meta genes decided to wake up, a little odd considering most meta’s don't show powers until they are teenagers and puberty triggers them, or freak accidents I guess in some cases.”

Barbara’s brow furrowed as her eyes moved to the now sleeping Helena.

“Meta genes? You mean she's a metahuman?”

Selina nodded giving her sleeping daughter a soft squeeze.

“Unfortunately.”

Now Barbara's brow furrowed in confusion as she began running things through her head.

“But how does she have metahuman genes? I mean I know sometimes they can just come out of nowhere or freak accidents but most of the time in order for a child to have powers at least one parent has to have them too, neither Bruce or you have meta abilities.”

The dark haired woman gave a chuckle at the thought of Bruce having metahuman abilities, he had a tendency of being cocky without super powers.

“It's definitely not from Bruce, he's all human and brute strength, no unfortunately she gets them from me but hers are different more feral I wonder if that's because she's only half and was born with the gene?”

The redhead knew Selina was now talking to herself and that was fine because her brain had stopped processing things after the older woman said the child had gotten metahuman powers from her.

“Woah woah woah, hold up a second, you have meta powers?”

Selina nodded shifting Helena as much as the girl’s tight hold would allow.

“Yes, long before you became Batgirl and it was just Bruce, I was visiting the zoo planing on releasing the white bengal tiger when I was kidnapped by some nutcase scientist. He injected me with some concoction that turned me into a cat human hybrid thing and it progressed far enough that I was one more injection away from being all feline but Bruce found how to reverse it, though it wasn't without effects my hearing, balance, stealth, the claws and night vision I owe completely to the mutations left behind.”

Barbara was quiet for a moment, not that Selina blamed her it was a lot to take in especially after watching a four year old go feral because she was scared and confused by awakening meta powers, but eventually she nodded.

“So what set her off I wonder, besides the meta-powers showing?”

Selina stroked Helena’s hair.

“She was scared by it, my guess is that it all just rushed forward and confused and scared her, kind of like overstimulation when you go from spending time in a quiet room where you only hear soft voices and close by sounds to a suddenly loud room with lots of screaming and yelling and loud sounds far away. If it's anything like mine she could hear a mouse in the wall three rooms away and if she can hear that imagine how loud the city suddenly would be.”

Barbara looked at the sleeping girl.

“Pretty loud. How come that doesn't bother you?”

Selina shrugged looking at the lights of the city out the window.

“I've gotten used to it I suppose, like tuning things out, she’ll learn to but it'll take time.”

The redhead nodded watching as Selina closed her eyes and kissed her daughter’s head.

“Are you going to take her home?”

Selina thought carefully for a moment then nodded.

“I think so, if this happens again being in a more familiar place will help.”

Barbara nodded.

“Good point, okay I'll get her bag.”

Selina watched as the redhead went back to the bedroom and retrieved the child’s bag and hanging it over. 

“Sorry to cut short the girl's night.”

The younger woman shook her head with a small smile.

“It's alright, I'd rather her be safe with her mother than here where I wouldn't know what to do. Besides if I get bored I can go out and help the boys.”

Selina nodded with a tired smile.

“True, well thank you for watching her maybe next weekend will be better.”

Barbara nodded walking the older woman to the door then watching her go.

XxXxXx

Halloween came around fairly fast and Helena was over the moon excited as she ran around the house in the Batgirl costume Selina made her, jumping from the couch to the floor and kicking at the air before running out onto the balcony looking out at the street below as other children and parents began their trick or treating.

“Mommy! Come on it's starting!!”

Selina sighed hearing the girl from her room where she stood in front of her closet mirror wearing her catwoman costume, save the cowl, wondering how she'd gotten into this situation then she remembered as Helena came running in and stared at her wide eyed and smiling.

“Mommy you look just like catwoman!”

Selina couldn't help but smile as she went to the girl and picked her up. Helena had been snooping in her mother's closet hoping to get a peek at her own costume when she stumbled upon Selina’s catwoman suit and all but demanded her mother dress up in it for Halloween since that's what she assumed it was, a costume.

“And you look very much like Batgirl, so much so I bet any bad guys will run away from you.”

Helena giggled happily as Selina put her down then followed her out of the room hoping her daughter would let her get away with not wearing her cowl. As they were getting ready to leave Helena spun around looking up at her mother crossing her arms.

“You have to wear the mask mommy!”

Selina sighed looking down at her daughter.

“Do I really kitten?”

Helena nodded pouting making her mother chuckle and pull the cowl on.

“Better?”

Helena was only able to stare for a moment before nodding and jumping excitedly.

“Let's go! Look out Gotham a new Batgirl is on the case!”

Selina couldn't help but laugh as she and Helena made their way out of the building and into the Gotham streets, Helena wanted to run ahead and join other children but Selina kept her close until finally the girl had enough.

“Mommy! I wanna go with Jamie! I'm not a baby I don't need my hand held!”

Selina held her daughter's hand tight so she couldn't pull it away.

“I know you do Helena but you can't, it isn't safe to go by yourself.”

Helena resorted to pouting and not speaking to her mother for awhile but soon got over it as the trick or treating distracted her. They had made it into the residential town home area of Gotham and Selina had let Helena go to the door on her own with a group of other kids, some dressed as robins, a couple batgirls, even a riddler which made Selina laugh a little as she watched unaware that above on the roof tops Batman was making his rounds.

Of all the holidays for Batman to work Bruce hated Halloween most because all the costumes made it hard to tell what villains were real and what ones were just teens in costume and that was just the cover a lot of true villains were waiting for to cause all kinds of trouble and slip away unseen. Selina watched the group of kids as they were each handed candy but her eyes were pulled away by a shadow passing fleetingly above making her look up only to see the sky empty, she shook her head looking back at the group as the kids came back to their parents but panic gripped her chest when all the kids were gone but she couldn't see Helena.

“Helena?! Kitten where did you go?!”

There was no answer making her panic worsen as she began walking the way she thought Helena would have gone calling for the child. Bruce was stationed on the roof of a building looking over what he could see of the city watching for trouble when the sound of sobbing below caught his ear making him look down. Wondering scared and crying was a little girl in a Batgirl costume headed right for the dead end alley, narrowing his eyes he looked around for anyone that noticed the girl but found the area abandoned unlike the street over that was filled with trick or treaters and families. Moving quickly he dropped down to the ground in the shadows of the alley ahead of the girl, to his surprise the girl heard his silent landing and turned to face him sniffling as her watery blue-green eyes looked at him as if she could almost pick him out of the shadow.

“M-mommy?”

Bruce moved to where the girl could see him and knelt to her level.

“Where was the last place you seen your mother?”

The girl sniffled didn't seem scared like most kids would, instead she seemed to hold herself higher and on alert.

“At the brick houses with the black fences.”

Bruce knew she meant the town house on the next street and nodded walking to her offering his hand.

“What does your mother look like?”

The girl took his hand and let him lead her away from the alley.

“Like catwoman, she's in a catwoman costume.”

Bruce wanted to growl, there were probably dozens of women dressed as his once lover and he was supposed to find the one missing a child. They reached the street and the girl started looking around.

“What's your name, that might help us find her.”

The girl looked around faster hoping to see someone familiar opening her mouth to answer but the voice that came out wasn't her’s.

“Helena Grace?! Please kitten stop hiding and answer me!”

The girl, Helena Bruce could only assume, looked where the woman’s panicked voice was then pulled her hand from his and started running to a woman looking frantically around dressed in a catwoman suit.

“Mommy!! Mommy here!”

Selina heard Helena’s voice and whirled around in time to bend down and catch the girl in her arms holding her tight.

“Helena, thank heavens you're alright. Don't ever do that again! Do you hear me? You gave mommy a heart attack when she couldn't find you!”

Helena hung on tight to her mother sobbing again.

“I'm sorry mommy, I won't do it again.”

Selina let out a heavy breath just holding the girl tight thankful she was safe and she wasn't going to have to claw some creep’s eyes out for taking her.

“Where'd he go?”

Selina opened her eyes looking down at her daughter who was looking at the direction she'd come from confused.

“Where'd who go? Did someone take you Helena?”

Helena looked back at her mother hearing the growl in her voice but shook her head.

“No mommy, Batman helped me but he's gone.”

Selina felt her chest tighten, the shadows she'd seen must have been him jumping roofs looking for trouble.

“He has a whole city to protect kitten, I'm sure he left cause you found me and were safe.”

Helena nodded and quit looking for the man that had helped her and closed her eyes nuzzling her mother’s neck still too scared to let go and Selina held her close but her eyes were still on the alley mouth Helena had come running from, if Bruce had been there he was long gone now.

“Should we go home kitten?”

Helena didn't respond for a moment then nodded, Selina took one last look at the alley before turning away and heading home more than ready for the night to be over. Bruce stood on the roof of a close by building watching the woman and her daughter leave, his stomach was a huge knot because unlike all the off the rack fake leather catwoman costumes the one the girl’s mother was wearing was all to authentic looking and made of real black leather and detail all too accurate even the repaired spots from past fights. A part of his brain wanted to believe it really had been Selina and the child that hadn't been scared of him had been her’s meaning she'd moved on with her life and was some what happy, but stubbornness and a well knowing of his once lover pushed those thoughts away because if he knew Selina she was most likely in Paris living a lavish life like she always did.

 

XxXxXx

After what had happened on Halloween Selina became very paranoid when alone or where Helena couldn't see, she'd fallen into old habits of looking over her shoulder at any tiny sound or sitting on the balcony railing watching the rooftops, she'd even began pulling away from interacting with Barbara or anyone else linked to the batfamily group. It was a quiet Sunday morning, Helena was curled up asleep in her mother's bed while Selina sat on the balcony looking at her laptop lost in thought. Helena woke up a little later and made her way to her mother still half asleep and rubbing her eye.

Selina noticed her daughter and gave a small smile lifting her into her lap happily cuddling her.

“Helena mommy wants to ask you something.”

Helena woke up enough to nod and play with her mother’s necklace.

“How would you feel about going to live somewhere new for awhile?”

The girl woke up a bit more sitting up to meet her mother’s eyes.

“New? Like where mommy?”

Selina chuckled kissing her daughter's forehead looking at her laptop again.

“Mommy doesn't know yet, maybe London or Spain or Paris.”

Helena’s eyes lit up at the mention of the last location.

“Pairs! Could we mommy?”

Selina smiled, of course Helena would pick that one, she'd only been fascinated by all the postcards, trinkets, fancy clothes and jewelry Selina had collected over the years from trip to Paris since she was a baby. Brushing a strand of chocolate hair behind Helena’s ear Selina moved the mouse on the screen over the button to buy their tickets.

“If you want sweet heart.”

The girl smiled brightly nodding excitedly making her mother laugh.

“Okay okay kitten, Paris it is we should start packing.”

Helena cheered happily, she had no memory of a life outside of Gotham so she was more than a little excited to be going somewhere new and because it had always been her and Selina she no one to worry about leaving behind, unlike Selina who was looking to get away for just that reason. After a day of packing only things they'd need and letting Helena say goodbye to Barbara the pair were on a first class flight to Paris France leaving Gotham, and Bruce, behind.

Back in Gotham Barbara was making a surprise visit to Wayne Enterprises to tell Bruce about Selina leaving. She was shown up to his office and once Bruce seen the redhead he dismissed everyone from the room.

“Barbara, uncommon for you to drop by when there isn't trouble.”

The redhead crossed he rarms shifting her weight from foot to foot before adjusting her glasses.

“She left again Bruce. I don't know where to but her place is empty of the usual things one needs when skipping town and the building manager said she paid handsomely to keep the place from being rented out or touched.”

Bruce didn't react for a minute, in fact he even seemed to quit breathing as he looked out the wall of windows at the city below.

“Maybe it's for the better, away from here she can move on and like she once said I can't be distracted worrying about her not when Joker is planning something that might endanger the whole city.”

Barbara only nodded moving to stand beside him looking at the city.

“Things are going to change aren't they?”

Bruce only nodded once in response forcing his mind to push any worries about Selina to the back of his mind as the sun set over the city casting a fiery orange glow over the buildings that looked like it was engulfed in flames.


	4. The Day the World Turned Upside Down.

Fourteen years Selina and Helena stayed in Paris, Helena had grown up in a nice flat in downtown Paris with a nice view of the Eiffel tower and Selina at her side watching out for her and she was happy, but she always had a longing to go back to Gotham. It wasn't long after her eighteenth birthday when Helena finally decided to ask her mother about going back. They were sitting a little café enjoying the spring weather, much more enjoyable than in Gotham according to her mother, Selina was on her laptop most likely doing some kind of business that kept their lifestyle well funded, when Helena bit her lip.

“Mom?”

Selina glanced up for a second then back at her laptop.

“Just a second kitten. Okay ready.”

As she spoke she closed the laptop and pushed it aside so her attention was on Helena.

“Remember how I said I didn't know what I wanted from you for my birthday?”

Selina nodded taking a drink of her coffee waiting for her daughter to continue, though it was hard not to smile when she could already guess what was coming as Helena messed with the braid that was draped over her shoulder biting her lip.

“I-I want to go back to Gotham, even if it's just to visit Barbara.”

Selina finally smiled setting her cup down and crossed her legs.

“I thought that was going to be your request.”

Helena looked surprised at her mother.

“How?”

Selina laughed leaning across and stroking her daughter's cheek.

“Because I raised you so I know you better than anyone, besides as much as I hate to say it Gotham is in your blood.”

Helena smiled leaning into her mother’s hand, she could swear she was purring not that it was the first time she'd found after that night with Barbara where she could suddenly hear things she never could before and see things she couldn't before she found she had a few feline abilities and her mother never told her to fight them if anything she encouraged them with things like signing Helena up for gymnastics and joining her for late night walks along the roofs.

“So we can go?”

Selina chuckled again nodding.

“Of course we can kitten, in fact I already booked us first class tickets.”

Helena smiled brightly jumping up and hugging her mother.

“Have I told you that you're the best mother ever?!”

Selina rolled her eyes but returned the hug.

“Not since yesterday kitten, well if we are going to leave tonight we should go home and pack.”

Helena smiled impossibly brighter walking beside her mother as they headed back to their flat. When they arrived in Gotham Selina couldn't help but grimace, clearly while they'd been gone something had happened because a majority of the city was under construction and the sign waiting to be displayed properly said ‘New Gotham’.

“Can we go see Barbara before we go to the penthouse? Think she'll remember me?”

Selina was snapped from her disgust at the question and smiled looping her arm through her daughter’s.

“Now that's a silly question Helena, how could she forget you? You were like a little sister to her.”

The dark haired girl shrugged looking unsure.

“Yeah but that was before we moved halfway across the world for fourteen years mom.”

Selina rolled her eyes leading the girl in the direction of Barbara’s home, if it was still the same anyway. When they arrived Selina couldn't say she was really surprised to find Barbara didn't live in the same address for all she knew the redhead and Dick ran off and had little crime fighting baby bats. Helena looked downtrodden with the news making Selina gently stroke her hair.

“It's okay kitten, come on let's go talk to someone that might know where she is.”

Helena nodded and walked with her mother through the streets unsure of exactly where they were going but as always her mother was keeping her mood up making her laugh. As they were crossing the mouth of a dark alley neither noticed a man in a trench coat and hat slip into the stream of people behind them and slowly getting closer until he stood behind them hands in his pockets making sure not to make himself stand out. Helena felt her mother lean on her and thought it was from laughing at the joke she'd told but when Selina began to fall forward holding her abdomen grimacing in pain Helena’s brain kicked into panic mode as she fell to her knees beside her mother sobbing trying to keep pressure on the gushing stab wound and keep her mother awake.

Some people around them stopped to stare, others kept walking but no one so much as moved to help Helena compress the wound or get Selina responsive again, the most they did was look on as the man in the trench coat pushed past them dropping his blood soaked switchblade as he did so. Helena didn't know how long she screamed and tried to get a response from her mother but it felt like hours and her throat was raw and hurt when she was pulled away rather roughly making her panic more and look up to see medics were holding her back from going back to Selina’s side while another medic team looked the older woman over. Helena was forced to watch through watering eyes as one man shook his head and signaled for the others to cover and move the body.

The man holding Helena managed to make her sit in an ambulance long enough to be checked for injury as they asked her questions but none got a real answer until they asked if there was anyone they could call to come look after her. Throat dry she slowly nodded curling her fingers around the aluminum foil blanket thing they put on her shoulders.

“B-Barbara Gordon.”

The police officer that was there nodded most likely already knowing the name from the commissioner and disappeared from view, in his absence Helena could see the spot her mother had been laying in moments ago now empty and officers were inspecting it but shaking their heads and a news crew stood not far away reporting on the incident. Her attention was pulled away when the officer that had gone to get ahold of Barbara came back looking at the medic that was watching Helena, he looked pale and nervous as he glanced at Helena.

“Take her to the hospital unless there’s another person to contact, a father maybe?”

Now Helena clenched her teeth looking down as she shook her head.

“No I don't want to go to the hospital and I don't have a father, I never knew him.”

The officer shared a look with the medic before clearing his throat.

“I'm sorry miss but you don't have a choice if Barbara Gordon is the only person you can reach out to, she is at Gotham general as we speak.”

Helena felt her chest tighten and her lungs sting like all the air had been ripped from them and cut like razors as it left.

“W-what happened? Is she okay?!”

The officer shook his head slowly.

“I'm not allowed to say, all I'm allowed to tell is that she was found with a wound through her abdomen on the floor of her apartment and is now at Gotham general.”

Helena didn't respond for a minute feeling like she'd throw up if she opened her mouth.

“I want to go to Barbara.”

The officer nodded.

“Alright, I'll let the ambulance take you then, I'm sorry for your loss miss.”

Helena didn't respond just let herself be led to sit in the back of the ambulance on a gurney trying to keep from sobbing her eyes out or vomiting. The ten minute ride to the hospital felt like a lifetime and the walk to Barbara’s room with a police escort felt like a death march, when she was finally let in the room she walked in and stood frozen seeing the redhead laying on the hospital bed covered to her chin with blankets and an asleep officer in the corner, someone else had clearly been here cause there was a rose on the table by the head of the bed.

Walking to the chair at the bedside Helena finally lost it as she sat down taking the older woman's hand in her own as she rested her head on her free arm on the bed and began to sob feeling like her whole world was just shattered into millions of pieces. After what felt like another lifetime the teen finally cried herself out and fell asleep still holding Barbara’s hand like it was a lifeline keeping her from drowning in a storm.

XxXxXxXx

The day of the funeral was like a living hell for Helena as she stood behind Barbara’s wheelchair dressed all in black wanting to cry and scream but the tears never came and her voice was a whisper. At some point during the slew of condolences, and the whispers of ‘I didn't know she had a daughter’ Helena noticed a man step into the room, he didn't join the gaggle of people telling her they were sorry for her loss instead he came in long enough to glance at the coffin before leaving without a word. Helena looked down at Barbara as the redhead put a hand over her’s on her shoulder and squeezed it watching the man in the finely tailored suit leave.

“Who was that?”

Barbara didn't answer right away as if debating whether or not to say before finally she spoke.

“That Helena was Bruce Wayne.”

Helena raised a brow.

“Why’d he show up? Mom said she broke up with him long before I was born.”

Barbara looked hesitant again like she'd rather change the subject but she took a breath and looked up at the teen behind her.

“Because he’s your father.”

Helena felt her stomach lurch making her clamp a hand over her mouth and make a mad dash to the bathroom locking herself in as she slid to the floor with her back to the door. Her mother had told her about Bruce Wayne, how they'd once had a thing years before she was born, and how she'd left him. If Helena’s world had been even remotely started to get put back together it was shattered all over again, she'd never known her father and only in the wake of her mother’s death was she finding out he wasn't just one of Gotham’s elite, hell he **WAS** Gotham’s elite, but he was also her father.

There was a knock on the door drawing her attention away from her thoughts.

“Helena, everything okay in there?”

Helena felt her gut twist at Barbara’s question, of course everything wasn't okay! Her mother had been stabbed and killed right in front of her! Her only friend had been shot and paralyzed! She'd just found out her father was Bruce Wayne and he didn't even care enough to say two words to her over the years! No everything was NOT OKAY!! Helena forced herself off the floor and unlocked the door opening it but said nothing as she looked blankly at the redhead in the wheelchair.

“Helena?”

The brunette said nothing but closed her eyes and walked around the redhead not bothering to look back as she left the building. She kept walking with no real ideas where she was heading, when she finally stopped she was standing less than a block away from the penthouse building she'd shared with her mother as a girl, it looked abandoned now with most windows bordered up and others broken or missing altogether. Blind anger filled her chest and came from her mouth like snarl, without thinking she managed to pounce up onto the rusted fire escape a good 20ft off the ground and land as if she'd floated up. 

To angry to notice this feat she continued jumping from landing rail to landing rail until she reached the penthouse. Like the rest of the building it looked empty and forgotten by everything but dust. Growling she cleared the distance to the balcony and slid open the door looking around. Anything that had once belonged to her mother was either stolen, ruined or covered in dust. All her jewels were most likely stolen not long after they left, all her once fancy dresses and shoes were moth eaten and nearly scraps, a few old boxes and books with pictures in them still sat at the back of the closet. Feeling angry again Helena began grabbing the items in the boxes and throwing them as hard as she could at the cracked wall as if they'd been the things that hurt her, but she stopped when her fingers grabbed smooth leather interrupted by stitchwork that felt familiar to her fingers from a long time ago.

Blinking angry tears from her eyes she pulled out the box the leather was in and knelt down looking at what it held. First she pulled out the Catwoman costume she remembered her mother wearing for her last Halloween before moving to Paris, under that there were dozens of old news clippings each one about jewel thefts and cat themed objects stolen by Catwoman over a span of years, looking at the pictures of the objects Helena felt a pit open in her stomach recognizing some of the objects from her childhood things she'd thought her mother just bought even some of the jewelry she'd worn were made of jewels worth millions. Shifting through more of the clippings she came across one with her mother’s name on it and quickly read it.

‘August 21, Gotham Courthouse, 3:28PM. Selina Kyle, better known under the alias Catwoman was arrested and brought to justice by Batman as she attempted to steal the snow leopards from Gotham zoo.’

Helena’s brows knitted together turning the paper over to find the result of the trial.

‘Miss Kyle was miraculously found not guilty due to lack of evidence but for crimes past is sentenced to house arrest and community service.’

There was no doubt in Helena’s mind that the woman in the mugshot picture was her mother. Helena shook her head not wanting to believe it, she stuffed the costume and the news clippings into one of her mother's bags that was still in one piece and grabbed only one picture that was laying on the floor of her and her mother when she was three. Storming from the room she went to her childhood room and opened the door, stepping into it was like being sent back to being four years old seeing the purple walls, soft grey carpet, the toddler bed with pictures stuck to the headboard with tape, the small table with a faded and broken plastic tea set, stuffed animals that looked like corpses thanks to the moths, and anything of value missing.

Turning her back on the room Helena decided she'd seen enough and she hurried back to the balcony and without a thought jumped from the railing landing like a cat on her feet on the closest roof. She decided to take the roofs back to Barbara’s place, when she arrived she was greeted by the worried redhead, Dick Grayson and the retired police commissioner all in the living area when she walked in the door. She clenched her jaw and flexed her fingers around the door knob, she'd wanted to confront Barbara alone without anyone else but it looked like that wasn't going to happen. Barbara looked up at her with eyes full of relief and still worry.

“Helena thank god you're okay, don't go running off like that again!”

Helena dropped her gaze to the floor hiding her eyes with her bangs but didn't speak. The sound of footsteps didn't make her look up but feeling a hand on her shoulder made her snarl and grab Dick’s wrist and flip him over onto his back on the floor like he was nothing.

“Don't touch me!”

The whole room was silent for a long minute before Barbara spoke.

“Helena don't take this out on him, he didn't do anything, I know you're angry and sad and confused I know but don't take it out on those that want to help.”

Helena clenched her hands into fists so tight they shook along with her body, they didn't understand no one did but they acted like they did and it made it worse like putting salt in an open wound.

“No you don't understand! How can you help if you don't understand!! How could you understand?! In the course of one night I lost everything! **EVERYTHING** in one night! Then to put salt in the cut I find out my father lived right here in the city and never even cared enough to know I existed!! You can't understand how much this hurts!! Don't act like you do because you're just making a damned fool of yourself! Just LEAVE ME ALONE!!”

With that she ran from the room the the guest room that was now dubbed her room and slammed the door so hard behind her that the pictures on the wall rattled. Once locked in her room she threw the bag down and collapsed on the bed letting her angry tears soak her pillow as she hugged it close using it to try and ground herself as her exhaustion caught up with her and she cried herself to sleep.

XxXxXx

Helena spent two days locked in her room not bothering to even answer when Barbara would try and talk to her or tell her to come and eat, she wasn't hungry she just felt empty. It was the middle of the night and Helena sat at the desk in the corner of her room looking at the makeup mirror in front of her, she'd taped the picture of her and Selina to it and looking at the picture just made the cracks in her heart bleed more. Looking at her reflection she could almost see her mother looking back at her but something was wrong, her hair was the wrong color and too long, and her eyes were too blue. Deciding she couldn't do anything about her eyes she pulled open the drawer of the desk and took out a pair of scissors and took her braid in one hand while the other held the scissors and she began to cut until it was a short messy pixie cut similar to her mother’s.

When she finally emerged from the room Barbara was shocked by the change in her hair but before she could ask Helena lifted the bag she'd brought back and threw her mother’s Catwoman suit onto the redhead’s lap clenching her jaw. Barbara looked down at the leather suit in her lap and sighed, clearly it was time to tell Helena where she came from and what world her mother had hid from her. Through the stories Helena stayed quiet and just listened but at the end her anger couldn't be held back anymore.

“Why didn't she tell me?! Why did she keep this hidden from me all these years!”

Barbara's brows knitted together as she looked at the news clipping she held.

“She wanted to protect you Helena, you were a little girl and take it from someone who knows, fighting creeps in costumes and running the rooftops all night is no life for a child, she never wanted that for you.”

Helena didn't know how to answer so instead she just clenched her jaw looking down.

“Why her? Why did it have to be her that had to die? Why couldn't he have picked someone else to kill?”

Barbara reached out and took Helena's hand ignoring how the teen tried to pull it away only half heartedly until she gave up.

“Because your mother was the closest to Batman, to Bruce Wayne, and Joker did try to kill someone else I'm not in this chair for natural reasons. He wanted to hit Bruce where it hurt and that was the people he cared about in the whole city, your mother knew long before any of us that something was going to happen and she knew that the only way to protect you was not to tell Bruce about you and not tell you about her past life. Helena I believe more than anything that if you had known about the life she lived and Bruce knew about you then you would have been the target along side Selina.”

Helena went quiet again clenching and unclenching her jaw unsure of how to react, was she just supposed to forgive her mother for all of that for keeping secrets from her? For keeping her a secret? Barbara could see the betrayal in Helena’s eyes and sighed.

“Helena don't blame her, it was for your own good.”

Helena growled wanting to vocalize her thoughts, and a few choice curses, but she didn't get the chance as the phone rang.

“Don't go anywhere we aren't done with this conversation.”

Helena rolled her eyes and crossed her arms but sat down in the closest chair watching as the redhead made her way to the phone and picked it up.

“Hello?”

Helena bounced her foot watching as Barbara listened for a moment then looked out the closest window to her looking worried.

“What do you mean he hasn't showed up?! How long has that been on?”

Now Helena was a little less mad and more Intrigued, getting up she went to the window and looked outside, lighting up the sky over the city was the batsignal. Her lip curled and she put the curtain back in place with a little more force than needed as she leaned on the wall watching Barbara talk on the phone to who she could only guess was Dick. Finally the redhead hung up and pinched the bridge of her nose pushing her glasses up in the process.

“What was that about?”

Barbara didn't answer for a moment before turning her chair to face the teen.

“It would seem Bruce is no longer in Gotham and didn't bother telling Dick or I about it, not that I'm much use.”

Helena could hear the bitter undertone in the redhead's voice making her stomach knot a little but she shook it off pushing off the wall.

“So who is dealing with it?”

Barbara moved her chair back to the news clippings looking through them.

“Dick is, but it's going to take more than him to save this city.”

Helena looked back out the window at the signal glowing then back at Barbara setting her jaw before speaking.

“Train me.”

Barbara blinked looking at the teen but found she was looking like the words tasted like lemon juice.

“W-what?”

Helena growled.

“I said train me! Batman taught you and Dick everything and you guys protected the city so teach me how to do it since you can't be out there now.”

Helena watched as a flurry of emotions passed the redhead’s face before settling on determination.

“Are you sure Helena?”

The teen nodded.

“Positive, I can help keep the city safe and put my anger to use.”

Barbara studied the teen for a minute before nodding.

“Alright but only if you swear it's to protect the city and not to try and get revenge on the man that killed your mother.”

Helena clenched her jaw like she wasn't going to answer before nodding.

“Fine, can we just get started?”

Barbara nodded.

“But not here, not equipped for it.”

Helena raised her eyebrow.

“Okay so where are we supposed to go?”

Barbara gave a smirk that Helena had never seen.

“Just trust me I know a better place, follow me.”

Helena raised a brow but she wasn't going to fight it, if her mother taught her anything it was to take advantage of a situation and she was going to take advantage of this one to get back at the man who'd killed her mother and if she was lucky she'd get to kick butts along the way.


End file.
